Why Paris Olympics 2024 competitors have colourful tape on their bodies - Mirror Online

Olympians have for many years worn colourful strips of tape on their bodies, but what is the reason? Apparently, it's not just a fashion statement as there's a clever reason

Olympians may be unrivalled in their fields - but that doesn't mean they don't take extra precautions to make sure they bring their A-game.

For some athletes, swimmers like Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi, that means the ancient practice of cupping, which is believed by some to help prevent injury. For others, like cyclists, it involves putting tape down their legs. As remarked by one Olympics fan on X/Twitter recently: "Ah yes, the Olympics home of cupping and K tape."

But why do they do it? If you've watched the Olympics, or any other sporting event, you've probably noticed certain athletes wearing large pieces of coloured tape - often in strips along the muscles. You might see them on the thighs and shoulders of sprinters, wrists of gymnasts or even on the legs of cyclists.

And it turns out it's not a fashion statement. It's called Kinesiology tape, also known as KT or Kinesio tape, and is used for a number of clever reasons. Team USA cyclist Chloé Dygert has been using KT tape in the lead-up to the Games, where she will compete in time trial and team pursuit.

Kinesiology tape was pioneered by Kenzo Kase, a Japanese chiropractor in the 1970s, who started the Kinesio Tex Tape brand, which is still popular today. There are many different kinds - from brightly coloured elastic tape to stiff, athletic tape, made from cotton. It's usually applied to achy muscles to relieve pain, or encourage muscles to work more efficiently.

It can be applied to many different parts of the body - including ankles, back, knee, neck, shoulder or the achilles tendon. Dr Aaron Mares, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at UPMC Sports Medicine, told Today: "It's cotton tape which has some sort of adhesive that mimics the elasticity of the skin."

Fans of the sports tape say it can reduce pain by increasing blood flow and encourage lymphatic drainage. It's also believed to help relieve sore joints, and one study found that it can help reduce pain in people with osteoarthritis.

But not everyone is as convinced. Research is yet to find any long lasting benefit from using KT tape. Sports medicine physician Dominic King told the Cleveland Clinic: "Many people think using KT tape will give them an advantage over the athletic competition, but it's often more of a perceived effect than a real one."

Sue Falsone, an athletic trainer who has worked with the Dodgers, told LA Times: "Athletes wear it for different reasons. While the science behind it doesn't always support its use, the bottom line is athletes feel better wearing it. There is little downside to wearing it and if it helps them mentally or physically, then I'm all for it."

Meanwhile, Dr David Geier, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Medical University of South Carolina, said: "If there is a structural damage like a torn ACL or meniscus, it's not going to be effective; after all, it's tape."

Dr Nicholas Fletcher, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Emory University agreed, saying: "I think, if anything, there is a placebo effect involved, and there probably is a little bit of a peer pressure effect. When people see athletes who are doing so well, they think, 'Maybe this could work for me'."

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